My camp, with the notable exception of one mistake, doesn't accept too many applicants as new members for our Theme Camp.

We actively headhunt from other Theme Camps.

Ours targets are usually useful, sometimes vital, members of other camps who have proven themselves and fit well with our Theme Camp Culture.

Sometimes just doing your best at whatever camp you find yourself in will attract the interest of a camp you might prefer.

Maybe the camp you are in isn't exactly what you want but it's good enough for now. Maybe you have hit burnout with your camp's theme. Or, maybe the politics have changed and it isn't the camp you once loved.

If you haven't bailed out by the time you've hit the Playa, and the camp's leadership hasn't done something unpardonable, then you still need to honor the commitments you have made.

Honoring your commitments, even when you no longer want to, means a lot for the other people in your camp who count on your contributions. I would rather wait one year to get an awesome new camp mate than to wonder if they would pull the same thing on us.

May Shai-Hulud clear the path for you.

Kомиссáр Logan

Over here sand blows; over there sand blows.Over there a rich man waits; over here I wait.Secrets give birth to more secrets

so you can probably tell..i'm a total newb. i live out of the country. my concern isn't getting from the airport to burningman or even bringing food really. I can do all that, but since i'm flying down I dont know if i can bring enough to really survive. i like the idea of being on my own and having my own experience and stuff but i just wanna be able to survive the 7 days enjoyably there- paticularly dealing with shelter. I wanna join a group for maybe some modest guidence and shelter from the weather.

Hi Jordan. Hunt down specific camps and give them a list of your skills. Most close their doors this month, if not sooner, and many don't recruit, so be proactive. Click on "Regionals" from the main site, and rideshare.burningman.com once it updates to 2011 in case someone from your area is looking for a passenger.

You can indeed survive, flying in of course. You might want to check out Green Tortoise San Francisco. They have a 5 day trip (that's the longest they're there).

What some others do is bring very limited stuff on a plane (like costumes & goggles) fly in a day early with a rental car reserved, and shop in Reno's several Wal Marts and other resources. Reno is expecting the onslaught by now.

Shopping time will be several hours, driving time from Reno to the Playa is 2 hours, entering the event may be another few hours, then you have to set up camp, so you may want to shop in reno, sleep in Reno, then head in.

My name is ________ & I am interested in joining a camp and would like some information on the services offered by you.
Would like to give you a brief on the facilities I am seeking.
I would prefer to camp with people from different races and especially foreigners. I would therefore wish to enjoy the theme of an international camp primarily. Camps of English could be fun as well. A camp of people from Germany may also be fun as am in the process of resuming German studies.
Would love if your camps provided massages as have heard great reviews on massages in camps. Workshops which deal with sexuality would be interesting as would polyamorous-themed camps.
This is just to give you a fair idea of what I am looking for.

Would appreciate , if you could provide me with your offerings as soon as possible.
Thanking you in anticipation.

I am pretty certain this email was sent to me in all earnestness. Obviously someone who has never been to BRC and has heard that theme camps will take good care of you if you join and pay the fee, so they are just shopping for that perfect camp. I wonder how many camps got this email...?

My reply (yes I actually replied) reflected my belief that this person has no clue what a theme camp is about and that they should learn a bit more about the event before sending out further emails. Or just pay the two grand and join one of the prospering "hotel" camps.

I'm a first timer and I've elected to be my own camp. I have a small trailer and I'm preparing to pack everything I need by viewing all the information online and by connecting with veterans. This way I can wander around Burning Man like a kid at the fair and, from what I hear, that's just about as it should be!

Ok, just thought of another tip that needs to be stressed. I touched on it a couple of pages back, but I've been seeing some of the emails & posts floating around, and clearly it needs restatement.

2 Simple things to understand when trying to join a theme camp:

1-No theme camp worth joining is going to seek you out based on the single eplaya post(probably your first post ever) in which you flailingly ask someone to adopt you. The exception to this rule is if you start your post with a sentence along these lines: "I will buy tickets for everyone in the camp that lets me join." This exception is only valid if you back up your claim.

2-If you are emailing individual theme camps asking to join them, it should be because you love the theme/activities/group of people, not because you want a hotel. Observe the difference in the following theoretical conversations:

Scene 1-Plucky Newb: Hey, can I join your theme camp? I have a massage table & I know how to juggle.

-Grizzled Camp Manager: How did you hear about us? What is your interest in the theme of our camp?

-PN: Your camp has a theme? Cool. What is it? I have a massage table & know how to juggle. And I'm a DJ. If you get me early entry passes and a ride down there, I'll totally like help you set up and stuff.

-GCM: (ceases all communication with PN, drinks some absinthe, slices ear off to avoid hearing from more people like this, takes another step closer to becoming the next Charles Whitman)

Scene 2-Smarter Plucky Newb: Hey, I saw your camp listed in the directory. I'm a huge fan of Pokemon as well! I have 10 different costumes I can bring for the camp, and I just got DMV approval for my 6 person art car that looks like a Pokeball. I realize it's late in the game, but do you think I could join up with you guys? I'm set to camp solo already, but I would love to join Camp Pokemon!

-Grizzled One-Eared Camp Manager: Holy crap dude, I saw photos of that car online! Thats you? Nice work. I'll have to talk with my campmates, but I think you would be a great addition to the camp.

Did you see what a difference a little research and genuine interest makes? It's kind of a thing about theme camps; the people that start them typically come together over a common interest (or "theme"), and that shared idea builds into something. When you come blundering in like a loud tourist wanting a free stay at a hostel, it does not endear you to those that have spent a long time working with a group from all over the country or world to make something amazing.

In fact, it kind of pisses us off.

<edited to make it funnier>

Last edited by The CO on Wed Jul 13, 2011 10:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

M*A*S*H 4207th: An army of fun.I don't care what the borg says: feather-wearers will NOT be served in Rosie's Bar.When I ask how many burns, I mean at BRC.

As a side note, I wish fire spinners would read this thread and replace "theme camp" with "local fire conclave". It's that time of year when we start getting people that want to join up with a group of performers that have been rehearsing since January or earlier. They often seem surprised when we say no.

M*A*S*H 4207th: An army of fun.I don't care what the borg says: feather-wearers will NOT be served in Rosie's Bar.When I ask how many burns, I mean at BRC.

The CO wrote:No theme camp worth joining is going to seek you out based on the single eplaya post(probably your first post ever) in which you flailingly ask someone to adopt you.

I've seen another exception to this, I've seen one theme camp contact seekers requesting more information. It happens, it may work out for both parties, but It's like getting a gift ticket, don't expect it.

May Shai-Hulud clear the path for you.

Kомиссáр Logan

Over here sand blows; over there sand blows.Over there a rich man waits; over here I wait.Secrets give birth to more secrets

We've recruited throughout the years. It started when some of our key members were unable to go and we found ourselves in need of some manpower. For the most part, it has worked out amazingly well. We seem to have lucked out a bit. We do like to communicate a bit prior to committing, but we are pretty easy going and have few rules.